Steve Brown knows Ebbsfleet United face a real test away to Whitehawk in Vanarama Conference South

Big-spending Whitehawk and their difficult pitch stand between Ebbsfleet United and a third straight win this weekend.

Fleet boss Steve Brown is wary of the playing surface at The Enclosed Ground after midfielder Michael West suffered a serious knee injury there in March.

And he also knows Hawks boss Steve King has put together a squad good enough to challenge for honours in Vanarama Conference South.

Steve Brown Picture: John Westhrop

Brown said: "It’s not a nice place to go. They’ve spent some money this year, so don’t let anybody kid you they haven’t. Their budget’s enormous.

"A lot of their players have gone down there on the promise of jobs, so they’re earning good money down there.

"The pitch is tricky but we’ve seen Staines go down there (on the first day of the season) and win, so we’ll go down there and – as ever – try to win that game.

"But it’s not like playing on (our) surface."

Paul Lorraine and Osei Sankofa, who played for Brown at Ebbsfleet last season, will line up against them in the Whitehawk defence on Saturday.

Brown said: “I had a great year with both Sankofa and Lorraine but, as has happened to me in the past, you move on.

"They were great fellas for me. They did a great job here and Paul’s a great servant who the fans love to bits. But we’ve got a job to do. I’ll shake their hands before and I’ll pat them on the back after, but during that game, we’ll be going all out to get the three points."